BBC invades Poland

BBC Global Channels will roll out a suite of four branded thematic channels—BBC Entertainment, BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and CBeebies—in Poland, which, according to Dean Possenniskie, the senior VP of EMEA for BBC Global Channels, is a "priority market" for the company.

Poland is the first territory in BBC Global Channels' planned European expansion. All four channels will debut in Poland on December 2 and will be available on satellite exclusively for subscribers of Cyfrowy Polsat, the country's largest satellite platform, as part of its Family package.

Possenniskie told World Screen Newsflash: "We focused on Poland because it is a priority market for BBC Worldwide. It's probably the best growth market in Europe at the moment in terms of television, and also arguably one of the most competitive markets. Poland gives us the opportunity to launch all four channels—CBeebies, BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and BBC Entertainment— as one portfolio from day one, and this is the first time we've achieved this worldwide."

He added: "When we prove the success of these channels in Poland we are proving them against the best channels in the world, so it's a great market to begin in and one that is full of potential as well."

Source: Worldscreen.com